Don't assume that adjusters will know what street they are on; street signs may have blown away. Industry officials say spray-painting important information on homes after a hurricane is effective. Your name and correct address should be sufficient for an adjuster to match you and your policy. Don't include your policy number; someone else may take advantage of that. Insurers usually send adjusters to the worst-hit homes first.

Confused about your policy?

Get moving. With hurricane season here, homeowners need to find out what's covered and what's not. Experts say you should take a thorough look at your policy, and if you have any questions, call your insurance agent. It's no fun poring through fine print, but that's the only way to find out, for example, whether you'd have to replace damaged carpet yourself.

Do your homework to make sure you can weather a storm financially.

Insurance numbers

Here are phone numbers, some of which are activated only after a storm: